Mondrian – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | Tata Naka: London Fashion Week A/W 2013 Presentation Review

Tata Naka A/W 2013 by Daniel Alexander.

Since Tata Naka returned to London Fashion Week it has become customary for Tamara and Natasha Surguladze to create a wonderful set that they photograph live for their upcoming season’s look book: it’s a great concept and always a lot of fun to watch from the sidelines: the whole experience more akin to voyeurism than the traditional catwalk show. This season the Georgian twins were inspired by American High School movies and the multitude of references that underpin these down the decades. So here we had very preppy 50s styles abutting up against the big bouffant hair of the 1980s, a very direct reference to which was found in the graffiti wall that provided the backdrop to one set up, ‘Breakfast Club‘ written in bubble writing above a heart. Sugary coloured tweeds were layered over stripes and trademark graphic prints that merged Mondrian blocks with Pop Art faces, the illustrative elements of which were inspired by iconic scenes from key 80s movies. As we milled around we were served cocktails in milk cartons by ‘dinner ladies’ courtesy of Bompas & Parr.

Tata Naka AW 2013-photo by Amelia Gregory

Tata Naka A/W 2013 by Rebecca French.

In the locker room sweethearts covered a simple pencil dress, the detail echoed in a cute cut out back. An A-line skirt was worn with a baseball jacket: other girls wore big quiffs and pastel blocks, both tapered trousers and pencil skirts given sheer mesh slices at the hemlines. Sets were changed with alarming speed and confidence, but the downside of this way of showing is that unless you have an hour or so free you will only manage to see a small portion of the collection. I managed to see two set changes by Chameleon Visual: Jenny Robins took photos of the cheerleaders at the bleachers, and there was also a Prom shoot, where sweethearts emerged yet again as a major theme. The talented Tata Naka twins once more showcased their inventive A/W 2013 collection in wonderfully inimitable style. I have come to expect nothing less.

Tata Naka AW 2013-photo by Amelia Gregory

Tata Naka A/W 2013. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

Tata Naka by Jenny Robins

Tata Naka A/W 2013 by Jenny Robins.

Tata Naka A/W 2013 by Cissy Hu.

Tata_Naka by_Daniel_Alexander

Tata Naka A/W 2013 by Daniel Alexander.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday March 8th, 2013 12:33 pm

Categories ,1980s, ,50s, ,A/W 2013, ,American High School movies, ,Bompas & Parr, ,Breakfast Club, ,Chameleon Visual, ,Cheerleaders, ,Cissy Hu, ,Daniel Alexander, ,Georgian, ,Jenny Robins, ,London Fashion Week, ,Mondrian, ,Movies, ,Pop Art, ,Prom, ,Rebecca French, ,Tamara and Natasha Surguladze, ,Tata Naka

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Catwalk Review: Swedish School of Textiles BA

Isabella Falkirk (BA) Graduate Collection, mind by Faye West

On Saturday evening a selection of students from the Swedish School of Textiles transported their graduate collections to our fair city to give us a taster. A year ago, graduating students from Sweden did the same thing and Amelia was bowled over by what was on display, so I was pretty eager to see what this year’s offering offered.

The Vauxhall Fashion Scout venue at Freemason’s Hall wasn’t packed wall to wall like it usually is, which suits me fine – I was only mildly sweating as opposed to my usual soaking-wet state. A glance down the running order while I waited for the show to start revealed that this was to be pretty epic – no less than 17 BA and 4 MA graduates. Here goes!

Isabella Falkirk
The show kicked off with Isabella Falkirk. Foam shapes took centre stage, squared off to control the contours of the female form. The model was essentially wearing a foam box. The aesthetic was pleasing, but the model looked miserable, and I did have to wonder to myself how viable or groundbreaking this show opener was. A similar creation followed atop a model’s head, and I wondered further; this wasn’t fashion to wear on a visit to the shops to pick up milk. Despite this, underneath the shock tactics was some extremely wearable and well-tailored formal attire – sleek trousers and well-cut blazers. A reaction to the strains of work, the collection finished with a conceptual jacket with four or five layers, showing Falkirks’ vision a little more clearly. I liked this piece a lot.

All photography by Matt Bramford

Per Axén
Next came chic and crisp tailoring courtesy of Per Axén, whose concept through the juxtaposition of materials was a little more commercial but equally as enjoyable. A leather cape flirted with cream free-flowing trousers that looked elegant and futuristic at the same time. Other leathers had been married with cottons for the same effect, and geometric shapes featured, a la Mondrian.

Freja Sundberg

Freja Sundberg‘s BA Graduate Collection, illustrated by Christina Demetriou

Up next came Freja Sundberg‘s homage to the working class people of Havana and their music and culture. A lively collection, it featured Cuban prints in a multitude of colours, plastic skirts and lively wigs with flashes of red. Statement jewellery also appeared, and the final piece, an extravagant gold silk dress with a discreet print, had been gathered with drawstrings and rucksack pulls. A real winner.

Sofi Svensson

Sofi Svensson (BA) Graduate Collection, by Faye West

The standout collection for its sheer bravery, conceptualism and bloody amazing craftsmanship, was Sofi Svensson’s masked creatures. Models appeared like they had landed from a Doctor Who novel, wearing ghoulish masks with eyeholes that became long, wide dresses. Each had been encrusted and embellished to the max – jewels, crystals, plastic objects and mirrors filled every piece of the garment. Again, this was fashion as expression and conception rather than as a commercial commodity. Breathtaking, too.

Maja Dixdotter
Maja‘s collection brought us back in to the real world a little, but was by no means boring. Beautiful pastel shades in lemon, lavender and blush were the colour palette. A structured jacket had been juxtaposed with a sheer micro dress, while a skirt and a top carried gorgeous flower details.

Linnéa Woxinger Sköld
‘Living creatures affect me in a way nothing else can,’ exclaims Linnéa Woxinger Sköld on the handout, ‘…and fashion, at its best, gets very close to this fascination. How close can I get?‘ Pretty close, love. Linnéa’s collection was a fusion of organic shapes and experimental materials. An unusual mint-coloured translucent number opened her showing, which had been gathered together working against the model’s body. A body-concious number followed, then other dresses with organic twists and turns. This was like something I’d never seen before, but I really liked it.

Elin Engström

Elin Engström‘s BA Graduate Collection, by Christina Demetriou

Questioning the conquer-all ethos of the suit and fashion’s fascination with it, Elin Engström presented an expertly tailored collection in monochrome. The first model appeared with a large tube covering her face that looked a bit like those things you put on dogs to stop them sniffing their arses (is that what they’re for?) and was teamed with a large cloak. Later came a onesie, in which the model’s arms were unable to escape. Wild vase-like shapes were worn over the eyes, creating an ethereal effect. More tailoring followed with horse-hair details, but the real showstopper was an embellished translucent jacket with matching strange-vase-like-sunglasses-thingies.

Ida Klamborn
Closing the BA section of the show in dramatic fashion, Ida Klamborn presented an all-red collection of floor-length numbers. The colour choice and use of grand fabrics made for a sophisticated, luxurious collection of pleated skirts and high-waisted trousers. Sweet.

At this point I was desperate for the loo, and I just couldn’t make up my mind if I thought attendee Jay from E4 show Dirty Sexy Things was attractive*. I do love seeing graduate shows – they have fewer constraints and no worries about commerciality. But during London Fashion Week, with so many shows to think about, I did find it a little exhausting. The show wasn’t over, though, and we quickly launched into the MA graduates – you can read all about them in Akeela‘s review here!

*I decided in the end that yes, he probably is.

Written by Matt Bramford on Friday September 23rd, 2011 9:27 am

Categories ,BA, ,catwalk, ,Christina Demetriou, ,Cuba, ,Dirty Sexy Things, ,Doctor Who, ,E4, ,Elin Engstöm, ,Fashion Design, ,Faye West, ,Freemasons’ Hall, ,Freja Sundberg, ,Front Row, ,Havana, ,Ida Klamborn, ,Isabella Falkirk, ,Jay, ,Linnea Woxinger Skold, ,London Fashion Week, ,ma, ,Maja Dixdotter, ,Matt Bramford, ,Mondrian, ,pastels, ,Per Axen, ,review, ,S/S 2012, ,Sofi Svensson, ,sweden, ,Swedish School of Textiles, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Menswear Day Catwalk Review: KTZ (by Matt)

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Gabby Young at Selfridges, physician illustrated by Sam Parr

The ‘Supermarket Sarah’ pop-up shop opened last month in Selfridges stationery department, viagra 60mg I attended Friday’s opening night to check it out. Press, pharmacy designers and shoppers celebrated the opening with Campari cocktails whilst enjoying an energetic acoustic set from Gabby Young.

Back in December 2009 I visited Poke Design Studios at The Biscuit Factory for Supermarket Sarah’s Christmas Extravaganza, on behalf of Amelia’s. A year on and Sarah has had wide press coverage, and has celebrity followers such as; Lily Allen, Lindsay Lohan, Tinie Tempah and La Roux. ‘Supermarket’ Sarah Bagner seems, however, unphased by all the attention and continues to do what she does best; sourcing an eclectic mix of quirky vintage finds and indie crafts, and displaying her discoveries in an inspiring and creative way. Starting out in her home in Portobello, Sarah would beautifully arrange her own walls with items to buy and serve customers tea and cakes. The launch of her website expanded her work outside of her living room and has allowed her to exhibit in a variety of locations. Using the website, customers can browse through the items displayed on real walls as part of styled stories.

Illustration by Madi Illustrates

The retro-inspired Selfridges store layout holds shelves of vintage china trinkets, playful plastic jewellery and quirky gifts and accessories, all organized into the walls four sections; Super Stuff, New Designers, Vintage and Gallery where Sarah presents a designer she admires. Currently the Gallery space presents the work of Eley Kishimoto. The collection of printed accessories include; iPhone covers, textiles, limited edition screen printed books, and even a skateboard.

Sarah’s hand-picked selection of designers are given the opportunity to have items displayed in the Supermarket-style ‘gallery’. Carefully thought out curation and styling mean each piece compliments each other, contributing to the personal nature of the ‘Supermarket Sarah’ shopping experience. It was great to see the interactivity at play between customer and product; this interactivity is also achieved on the Supermarket Sarah online platform.

Illustration by Danni Bradford

My favourite pieces included; cross stitch badges from Ma Magasin, Mell Elliot’s Lady Gaga paper doll and Strawberry Creme Nouveau‘s rubber moulded biscuit brooches. John Booth’s eccentric bag charms, Nick White fake tattoos, Katy Leigh‘s painted egg cups, and YCN‘s ‘Light up your mood’ light switch stickers, all also deserve a mention. And other great designers involved include Tatty Devine, Patternity, Donna Wilson, Lynn Hatzius, Swedish Blonde Design and Rina Donnersmarck.

Bringing a sense of Portobello Market to London’s central shopping location. ‘Supermarket Sarah’ at Selfridges gives tourists a sense of what the London vintage and craft scene is all about. Congratulations to all involved!

Gabby Young at Selfridges, approved illustrated by Sam Parr

The ‘Supermarket Sarah’ pop-up shop opened last month in Selfridges stationery department, information pills I attended Friday’s opening night to check it out. Press, designers and shoppers celebrated the opening with Campari cocktails whilst enjoying an energetic acoustic set from Gabby Young.

Illustration by Madi Illustrates

Illustration by Danni Bradford

All photographs by Ester Kneen

Illustration by Jo Cheung

So after a rollercoaster six days, clinic Menswear Day and London Fashion Week drew to a close with hip-store Kokon To Zai’s label, KTZ, and what would be my final show of this season. I absolutely loved what they did last season, and I couldn’t wait to see what they’d come up with next.

All photography by Matt Bramford

A heavily policed front row meant me and illustrator Gareth took seats on the second, but I managed to get on the end so that my pictures would make it look like I was Frowing all along. I was bloody exhausted and feeling very sorry for myself, and I couldn’t help but wish that they’d just get on with it and stop papping people wearing pig masks. My legs wobbled and I struggled to keep my eyes open, but when the music started and the first look appeared, I quickly forgot my woes.

Illustration by June Chanpoomidole

Illustration by Thomas Leadbetter

Memphis-inspired fashion? I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. A pumpin’ soundtrack blasted from the PA system as gorgeous models (more women than men, but who cares?) sashayed up and down the length of the BFC tent. Stripes were a plenty on figure-hugging dresses with sweetheart necklines that feature extra flaps in that Pop Art/Memphis splatter pattern. Vibrant primary colours made black dresses playful: such a sophisticated, considered collection expertly styled by wonder-styilst Anna Trevelyan.

A whole load of other influences filtered into this power collection – the womenswear referenced power dressing from the 1980s (think Dynasty) and Mondrian’s prints; the menswear also digging up the eighties with (faux!) fur lapels and broad shoulders.

Illustration by Abby Wright

I have to admit, I did prefer the womenswear – it was far more wearable for fashion-forward ladies and it oozed sex appeal with dresses cut above the knee and details in all the right places to emphasise the curves. The menswear featured striped balaclavas topped with pom-poms, acrylic brooches which referenced the womenswear, over-sized imposing puffa jackets and graphic-print trousers. But it’ll be the womenswear that cements Kokontozai’s place as one of London’s hottest design duos.

Illustration by Lesley Barnes

Huge orb-like creations were worn on wrists, picking out patterns from lapels. And, oh, the cuts! Dynamic pieces of fabric were layered onto classic tailored pieces to give them a seriously sexy aesthetic. This was a collection that was playful but sophisticated at the same – a really difficult challenge to pull off.

Illustration by Valerie Pezeron

I loved EVERYTHING about it. I can’t put it into words, so just have a look at the pictures. Oh, and read Amelia’s more comprehensive and articulate review here!

You can see more from Jo Cheung, June Chanpoomidole, Abby Wright and Lesley Barnes in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration!

Written by Matt Bramford on Tuesday March 15th, 2011 5:29 pm

Categories ,Abby Wright, ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Anna Trevelyan, ,BFC, ,Dynasty, ,Faux Fur, ,Jo Cheung, ,June Chanpoomidole, ,Kokon To Zai, ,KTZ, ,Lesley Barnes, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,Memphis, ,menswear, ,Mondrian, ,Pop Art, ,Primary, ,Somerset House, ,Thomas Leadbetter, ,Valerie Pezeron

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: KTZ

Illustration by Antonia Parker

Over at Osman, this sleek silhouettes glided gracefully down the beautiful blue ink-blotched catwalk on models sporting blunt Cleopatra bobs with eyelash-skimming fringes.

Osman Yousefzada showed a sophisticated palette featuring lot of ivory and charcoal in sharp yet flowing shapes. Colour flooded in, information pills taking the form of feature linings and leather trims in rust, scarlet, pale aqua, neon pink and lime. The show opened with a beautiful ivory dress, featuring a v-shaped accent to the bodice in bright cobalt, echoing the beauiful inky stripe printed on the catwalk itself.

Illustrations by Donya Todd

The chic and sharply flared wide leg trousers were particularly prominent, billowing around the models’ legs as they sashayed their way towards the photographers’ pit. I was sitting way back in the sixth row but semi-successfully found a gap in the rows of heads to capture some of the looks. Key pieces seemed to keep on coming; dresses with contrast-lined capelets, black leather with hot pink horizontal stripes, a Morticia-length charcoal wool dress, a leather-fronted blouse with bright orange floor-length tied tails to the back, the list goes on.

Illustration by Madi Illustrates

Photography by Naomi Law

There was a hint of the 1960s with a-line shapes and geometric capped sleeves, but pattern or ornamentation was minimal, save for one striking orange chiffon dress with chocolate brown embroidery. The collection managed to make crayon brights into something more sophisticated – the careful balance of colour and monotone combined with expert tailoring in subtly varyied textures was sharp, modern and crisp.

Illustrations by Rachel Lewis

There were two show-stopping floor-length black dresses with dramatic fluffy sleeves so huge I assumed they must be fake fur (hence asking two of our illustrators to work from these designs). I was disgusted to discover later that Osman has made the vile decision to use real fur in his collections. It’s nasty enough that anyone would choose to use animal fur in the first place, but even harder to understand when they’re going to end up dyeing it a completely unnatural colour anyway. Unfortunately this took the shine off the collection, none of this next season thank you!

Illustration by Antonia Parker

See more of Antonia Parker’s illustrations in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration!

viagra approved aka Artist Andrea” title=”KTZ A/W 2011 by Andrea Peterson, page aka Artist Andrea” width=”480″ height=”595″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-37005″ />
KTZ A/W 2011 by Andrea Peterson, approved aka Artist Andrea.

I wasn’t going to go into Somerset House on Wednesday, I really wasn’t. But the lure of a new Kokon To Zai collection was just too much. And boy was I glad that I did head into town for what turned out to be one of my very favourites shows of the week.

KTZ A/W 2011 by LJG Art and Illustration.

On entering an extremely packed BFC tent (menswear seemed much busier this season) I was left wondering where to sit when Lida Hujic grabbed me and led me to a prime spot near the catwalk entrance, right next to Prince Cassius, Leroy of Diary of a Clothes Horse and, erm…. the Bosnian ambassador. There’s nothing like a bit of diversity on the front row!

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

KTZ A/W 2011 by Kayleigh Bluck.

Building on their monochromatic S/S season KTZ served up a primary coloured delight…. a little bit 80s, a little bit Memphis and a whole lot of fun. Calder-like 80s graphic sculptures rose in whorls out of heads. Huge ball bangles created bold wrist protuberances.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

KTZ A/W 2011 by Maria Papadimitriou.

Earrings, necklaces, brooches and sunglasses were striped, gold, abstracted statements. And for the men? Primary coloured balaclavas with bobbles: part bank robber, part cold small child.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

KTZ groupies by Andrea Peterson, aka Artist Andrea.

But, onto the main course. This was a massive collection that took in easy to wear striped jersey tops and Dynasty meets Mondrian statement dresses with amazing marbled, flounce waists and layered tailoring. For men there were patent leather jackets, striped trousers and zig zag braces. The shoes are most definitely worth a mention – striped and block-heeled for women, platformed and buckled for the men – they were a wonderful complement to the clothing. This collection was by no means for the faint hearted, but that, in my book, is a very good thing.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.
KTZ A/W 2011 by Antonia-Parker-
KTZ A/W 2011 by Antonia Parker.

But then I started to worry, just a little bit, that a dampener was about to be put on my enthusiasm. These days it really is so hard to tell what is real fur and what is not, and without the aid of a press release I presumed the former. Luckily I was put right straight away after the show through the power of twitter when KTZ informed me that only fake fur was used to create the fabulous oversized pompom scarf and killer colour hooded duffle coat.

KTZ A/W 2011 by Kellie Black.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

I think I’m in love… I actually left this show beaming from ear to ear, and I can’t often say that. Major kudos must surely be given to Anna Trevelyan for the styling; she also styled the Alex Noble installation, and Charlie Le Mindu’s show. This lady has got some seriously diverse and wonderful ideas going on. You can follow her adventures on twitter here.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.
Kokon to Zai by Dan Stafford.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

You can see more work by Andrea Peterson, Antonia Parker and Kellie Black in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday March 9th, 2011 2:05 pm

Categories ,80s, ,ACOFI, ,Alex Noble, ,Alexander Calder, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Andrea Peterson, ,Anna Trevelyan, ,Antonia Parker, ,Artist Andrea, ,BFC Tent, ,Bosnia, ,Charlie le Mindu, ,Dan Stafford, ,Diary of a Clothes Horse, ,Dynasty, ,Fake Fur, ,Front Row, ,Fur, ,Kayleigh Bluck, ,Kellie Black, ,Kokon To Zai, ,KTZ, ,Leroy, ,Lida Hujic, ,LJG Art and Illustration, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Memphis, ,Mondrian, ,Prince Cassius, ,Slowly the Eggs, ,Somerset House, ,stylist

Amelia’s Magazine | Huishan Zhang: London Fashion Week A/W 2013 Catwalk Review

Huishan Zhang A/W 2013 by Dom & Ink.

New twitter mini film app Vine was embraced by the more social media savvy end of the fashion crowd at London Fashion Week: the six second looping films proving perfect to give an immediate moving idea of the shows that a static picture sometimes struggles to put across. Bright catwalk lights tend to wash out un-metered image creation, so I found Vine worked best at the more inventive presentations that I attended. One such show was that put on by Central Saint Martins graduate Huishan Zhang, a Chinese born designer who has interned within the hallowed atelier of the Dior couturiers. Take a peek below:

Huishan Zhang A/W 2013 by Gemma Cotterell.

Huishan Zhang A/W 2013 by Shy Illustrations.

Huishan Zhang A/W 2013 by Sylwia Szyszka.

Huishan Zhang A/W 2013 by Dom & Ink.

For A/W 2013 Huishan Zhang melded Eastern and Western influences in a supremely subtle and modern way: Mondrian-esque stripes and colour blocks were merged with delicate overlays of lace and glitter panels to create 60s inspired A-line shift dresses. These shapes echoed the Chinese Mao suit that was worn by everyone in 60s China, but the sparkling addition of Swarovski sponsored panels of crystals made them dinner party desirable for now. High waist tapered trousers felt modern paired with swing back crop jackets, whilst contrasting lace appliqués and peek-a-boo pleats provided additional interest. This was a wonderfully clever collection; definitely one of my new designers to watch.

Huishan Zhang A/W 2013 by Sylwia Szyszka.

Huishan Zhang A/W 2013. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Huishan Zhang A/W 2013 by Sylwia Szyszka.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday March 5th, 2013 9:56 pm

Categories ,60s, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chinese, ,Dior, ,Dom & Ink, ,Gemma Cotterell, ,Huishan Zhang, ,lace, ,London Fashion Week, ,Mao suit, ,Mondrian, ,Shy Illustrations, ,Swarovski, ,Sylwia Szyszka, ,Vine

Amelia’s Magazine | Introducing The Rodnik Band: S/S 2012 ‘Cod Save The Sea’ Diffusion Line for ASOS

The Rodnik Band SS12 Cod Save The Sea by Helena Maratheftis

The Rodnik Band SS12 ‘Cod Save The Sea’ by Helena Maratheftis

On a fine London morning in early June – I know, hard to believe – I had the privilege of visiting the colourful studio where the witty designs by The Rodnik Band come to life to interview the man behind them, Philip Colbert. I cannot remember exactly how this brand entered my radar a couple of years ago, but I recall browsing The Rodnik Band website for the first time and feeling really excited that such fun, stimulating, cleverly filled with references – if a little inaccessible – clothes existed out there. Later, during the private view of an exhibition organised by The Stitch Project, I suddenly saw in front of me a girl wearing an exquisitely delicately sequined long gown whose main body had the shape of a fish, while chips were adorning the lower area near the floor. It was delightful. The girl was holding a banner with the slogan ‘Cod Save The Sea’.

The Rodnik Band SS12 by Miss Fay Myers

The Rodnik Band SS12 ‘Cod Save The Sea’ by Miss Fay Myers

The Rodnik Band 'Cod Save the Sea' SS12 collection

‘Cod Save The Sea’ was the theme of The Rodnik Band’s S/S 2012 collection in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Foundation and inspired by EJF’s work to end illegal ‘pirate’ fishing. The reason behind my scheduled interview was the launch of a diffusion line from this S/S 2012 Sea inspired collection for ASOS this June. This is really exciting not only because now The Rodnik Band’s refreshing designs will be available to a wider audience in a more accessible form, but also because this kind of fun, subtle activism – which I think can be very effective – will hopefully catch on.

The Rodnik Band SS12 ASOS diffusion line looks 1+2

The Rodnik Band S/S12 ‘Cod Save The Sea’ diffusion line for ASOS by Helena Maratheftis

The Rodnik Band studio 2012 Phil Colbert painting the book dress for Hay Festival photo by Maria Papadimitriou.jpg

The Rodnik Band studio 2012 Giulia wearing the 'Fashion is Activism' book dress by Phil Colbert photo by Maria Papadimitriou.jpg

During my visit I was lucky to witness the making – fittings and alterations were made in between questions – of a dress in the shape of a book which Philip Colbert was making for his appearance the next day at the Hay Festival, where he would be talking along with Safia Minney, founder of People Tree about fashion activism. Of course, visiting a studio also means that one gets to see all those behind the scenes bits, drawings and processes which I find fascinating. I particularly enjoyed seeing some drawings of funny imaginary scenarios featuring designs from the ‘Cod Save The Sea’ collection, which Philip explained he does when creating the mood for the collections, but which otherwise remain unseen.

The Rodnik Band studio 2012 'Cod Save the Sea' boat scenario sketch by Phil Colbert photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Having watched a few videos by The Rodnik Band before the interview I already had the impression that Philip Colbert was a very charming and vivacious person. Indeed this was the case and I am very grateful to him that he chatted to me in such a friendly, relaxed manner about his work, what excites him and the spirit of his brand – even if he seemed to have quite a bit of work to do… read my interview with Philip Colbert here.

The Rodnik Band studio 2012 'Cod Save the Sea' sailor sketch by Phil Colbert photo by Maria Papadimitriou

All photography by Maria Papadimitriou.

Written by Maria Papadimitriou on Friday June 22nd, 2012 11:40 am

Categories ,activism, ,Alison Jackson, ,ASOS, ,Claire Jones, ,Claire Jones Art, ,Cod Save The Sea, ,Diffusion Line, ,Duchamp, ,Duchamp’s Fountain, ,EJF, ,Environmental Justice Foundation, ,fashion, ,Fay Myers, ,Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts, ,Helena Maratheftis, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Mondrian, ,Nicola O’prey, ,People Tree, ,Performance Art, ,Philip Colbert, ,Piet Mondrian, ,Pirate Fishing, ,S/S 2012, ,Safia Minney, ,Sea, ,The Rodnik Band, ,video, ,Yves Saint Laurent

Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion on Film: L’Amour Fou

Yves Saint Laurent by Krister Selin

The relationship between a fashion designer and his business manager-cum-lover isn’t a new concept to cinema. Anybody who has seen Valentino: The Last Emperor will have already witnessed the trials and tribulations when two men – one a rare, creative genius, the other a businessman, have to work together on a daily basis for fifty consecutive years.

Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge by Karolina Burdon

L’Amour Fou is a little different, however. For starters, where The Last Emperor was a celebration of Valentino‘s illustrious career, L’Amour Fou doubles as a celebration of Yves Saint Laurent‘s life. This film is more of a romantic tribute to the designer through the eyes of his partner, Pierre Berge.

Yves Saint Laurent A/W 1965 – the ‘Mondrian‘ dress – by Cruz

From the opening credits, I was hooked. An homage to Yves‘ ‘Love‘ cards that he designed and produced for staff (many on display at the Majorelle Gardens, Marrakech), flashes of colour and geometric shapes flood the screen. I saw the film at the ICA, and its diminutive cinema with old fashion red velour seats and dusty projector make the experience even more apt.

Yves Saint Laurent at his final show by Mitika Chohan

When the title sequence has rolled, we see Yves at a press conference declaring his resignation, juxtaposed with Berge‘s touching eulogy at Saint Laurent‘s funeral. We’re only about 6 minutes into the film here, and already I’m in pieces.

Yves Saint Laurent at Dior by Cruz

The film features archival footage of Yves Saint Laurent, from his days at Dior through to his greatest collections during the 1970s and 1980s, pieced together by Pierre‘s narration. The film skips between Yves Saint Laurent the fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent the art collector, and Yves Saint Laurent the tempestuous lover. The film culminates with the dramatic, poignant and record-breaking art auction of 2009 in which Yves and Pierre‘s entire art collection was auctioned for AIDS charities.

Yves Saint Laurent Wedding Dress S/S 1999 by Janneke de Jong

The film explores the early relationship between the pair – they met at Christian Dior‘s funeral and it was pretty much love at first sight. You can tell by how Pierre talks about Yves that this was not an easy relationship. Yves‘ crippling depression, substance abuse, morbid insecurities and changeable state of mind have taken their toll on ol’ Berge. But through all this, a glint in his eyes remains, as his relates countless stories about one of the world’s greatest, creative men.

Yves Saint Laurent for Zizi Jeanmaire by Joana Faria

Amidst the drama of the relationship, fashion fans won’t be disappointed. The film features never-before-seen photographs of Yves at Dior, adjusting hemlines and admiring his creations on models. There’s film footage of his most celebrated collections, from bridal wear to Russian-inspired collections in the mid-seventies. We see Zizi Jeanmaire dancing in one of Yves’ most spectacular creations made of feathers.

Opium advert (1977) by Katrina Conquista

Wondrous footage of the original Opium ad is one of the film’s many highlights – and Berge describes how controversial this was; not so much the advert but the name (the controversial adverts would follow, with Sophie Dahl naked and spread eagle for Opium and the first ever fully naked man in a print advertisement for M7). The irony, as Berge describes, was that Yves selected a name with a narcotic reference, when it would be alcohol and drugs that would almost destroy their relationship. Berge talks about this at length, and how Yves would only ever be happy moments after a show; Berge would have to wait another six months to witness that same level of happiness.

Opium advert (2000) featuring a naked Sophie Dahl by Katrina Conquista

But it is the couple’s love of art that dominates this film. After Yves‘ death, Berge decided to sell the collection that they had tirelessly put together over twenty years. Why? Because, after Yves‘ death, ‘the collection had lost the greater part of its significance.’ There are less sombre anecdotes in the film: ‘When Yves designed the Mondrian dress, we never dreamt that one day we would own one,’ Berge says with a smile.

Yves Saint Laurent A/W 1965 – the ‘Mondrian‘ dress – by Mitika Chohan

And so at the end of the film, during the auction, we see Pierre sitting backstage clapping his hands and marvelling at the record-breaking sales prices. Finally, he’s the last to leave the auction and we see him walking down the stairs of the Grand Palais. It’s a poignant ending to a pretty poignant film, and there’s something a bit sinister about it that I couldn’t really put my finger on – the endless shots of empty rooms? Christies‘ employees, the ‘undertakers of art’, boxing up paintings? Berge‘s willingness to openly discuss every facet of Yves’ personality, at the risk of seeming a little bitter? I’m not sure. But I loved it, nonetheless. It’s a sombre tribute, but a colourful one.

Written by Matt Bramford on Monday November 21st, 2011 6:47 pm

Categories ,AIDS, ,art, ,Christian Dior, ,Cruz, ,Dior, ,fashion, ,film, ,france, ,ica, ,illustration, ,Janneke de Jong, ,Joana Faria, ,Karolina Burdon, ,Katrina Conquista, ,Krister Selin, ,L’Amour Fou, ,M7, ,Majorelle Gardens, ,Marrakech, ,Mondrian, ,Opium, ,paris, ,Pierre Berge, ,Pierre Thoretton, ,review, ,Russia!, ,The Last Emperor, ,Valentino, ,Yves Saint Laurent, ,Zizi Jeanmaire

Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion on Film: L’Amour Fou

Yves Saint Laurent by Krister Selin

Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge by Karolina Burdon

Yves Saint Laurent A/W 1965 – the ‘Mondrian‘ dress – by Cruz

Yves Saint Laurent at his final show by Mitika Chohan

Yves Saint Laurent at Dior by Cruz

Yves Saint Laurent Wedding Dress S/S 1999 by Janneke de Jong

Yves Saint Laurent for Zizi Jeanmaire by Joana Faria

Opium advert (1977) by Katrina Conquista

Opium advert (2000) featuring a naked Sophie Dahl by Katrina Conquista

Yves Saint Laurent A/W 1965 – the ‘Mondrian‘ dress – by Mitika Chohan

Written by Matt Bramford on Monday November 21st, 2011 6:47 pm

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